Apprenticeships!

[Chaffinch]

I'm so angry, after nearly 3 years of "fighting" I finally got approval to take on 10 apprentices. I advertised on the National Apprenticeship Data Base, in the local news paper, and advised schools and colleges in the local area.

We decided to pay minimum wage, not minimum apprentice wage, which is much lower. The course lasts for 2 years and is for 16 to 18 year olds, at the end of which they would hold a quallification that can be used anywhere in the world, and if we took them on at 18+ they would receive a salary of £21,995pa

The positions were advertised at the end of April, with a closing date of 1st June. I have only had 13 applicants!

What is wrong with youngsters today? or am I expecting too much?

[Chaffinch]

Also forgot to say 4 of the applicants, do not even meet the criteria!

[bednobs]

wont it be the wrong time of year? wont 16 year olds still be in school?

[albaqwerty]

Firstly, my congratulations for the determination for fighting to get apprenticeships for youngsters.

Some parents of a certain age remember the YOP (?) scheme and equate it with slave labour and not an opportunity.

My older son did 1 1/2 years apprenticeship in the Building Trade and was made redundant. ll other tradesmen were either offered redundancy or self-employment.

[Chaffinch]

Bednobs, no its exactly the right time of year. The apprentices will not start until September when the colleges course starts, but we need time to interview, await GCSE results etc All of this is made clear in the Ads.

[bednobs]

ok

[Twirls]

whereabouts are you and what is the apprenticeship for?

[Chaffinch]

Twirls, Hampshire, and its an apprenticship for seafarers, so a chance to see abit of the world once quallified.

[sherrardk]

Have you advertised your apprenticeships with Connexions?

[Twirls]

guess you've already spoken with the Sea Cadets, Sea Scouts etc?

[Prudie]

That is surprising chaffinch, my place ran an apprenticeship scheme year before last (now stopped due to public sector cuts) and we had 219 applicants for 10 places.

[DTCwordfan]

Mollykins may be interested.

[237SJ]

Do they have to pay to have the apprenticeship? My company advertised for engineering apprentices and although they got plenty of applicants, the applicants had to pay abot £6000 for the training with no guarantee of a job at the end of it.

[Chaffinch]

Sherr, yes, I've even contacted the young offenders institutions! I'm really at a loss, as to what else I can do?

[Twirls]

How about asking the Sea Scouts / Sea Cadets to advertise on their website to spread the adverts a bit wider (if you've not done so already)

[Chaffinch]

I did try sea cadets etc :(

The apprentices will not have to pay anything, we pay all accommodation costs when they are at college in Kent, and travel costs for joining vessels in other ports.

[sherrardk]

Maybe the youngsters don't fancy leaving home?

[Twirls]

running out of ideas here! How about approaching the employment agencies in places like Liverpool, Tyneside / Wearside / Teeside, the Clyde etc - traditional seafaring places where I guess there might be some interest even if Kent is a way off from where they come from?

[woofgang]

Deck or engineering apprentices? Officers or crew?

[Chaffinch]

If the youngsters are in the area, they do not have to leave home, Sherr. The longest period at college is 4 weeks and at sea 2 weeks. mainly the time is spent in their home port, so hours of work would be 07.30 to 15.30.

I guess its back to cadets who gain a degree, and start at 18, and forget the kids with no quallifications, which makes me sad, but do they really want to work?

[Chaffinch]

Twirls, thanks for all your sugestions, but the bases are in Port5mouth, Clyde and Plymouth we were looking to take a few from each area. The college is in Kent.

Woolf Able Seafares, so ratings, Officers are cadets and this is now a 3 year degree course.